Goochland's Jail
By the 1820s localities began to replace their old jails with larger, more secure masonry buildings. Goochland was no exception. This jail, circa 1825, has withstood burning three times—twice by prisoners and once by Union troops in 1865—yet continued to serve the county into the 1920s.
In early March of 1865, part of Gen. Phillip Sheridan's Union Army troops camped at Columbia about 2 miles west of Goochland Courthouse. They spent several day destroying locks, boats, crops, livestock, and buildings along the Kanawha Canal.
Then on the morning of March 11, a brigade of Union Cavalry marched from Columbia toward Goochland Courthouse with the intent of destroying government property there. They were intercepted along the way by a squadron from the Seventh South Carolina Cavalry, Confederate Army. A skirmish ensued which saw the Seventh South Carolina routed by a squadron of the Union Cavalry's Ninth New York. The Union Cavalry then proceeded to the Courthouse where the jail, in which Union soldiers had been imprisoned, was burned.
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Local Magistrates were authorized to lay off prison boundaries, an area in which some prisoners, especially debtors, were allowed to wander freely during the day to get fresh air and exercise. Goochland's prison bounds, shown here for a jail
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Goochland Deed Book, 1821-1824, Clerk's Office
Although the State did not require concealment of the place of execution until 1862, by 1847 Goochland had moved its gallows from the public square to a spot out of public view "within the wall that surrounds the jail." In 2016, archaeologists uncovered what is believed to be the base of the high brick wall; a line of bricks set into the ground shows its location.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Law Enforcement • War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1865.
Location. 37° 40.939′ N, 77° 53.05′ W. Marker is in Goochland, Virginia, in Goochland County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of River Road West (U.S. 522) and Courthouse Circle, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2938 River Rd W, Goochland VA 23063, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Goochland County Courthouse (a few steps from this marker); In Memory of All Veterans (within shouting distance of this marker); Confederate Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Old Clerk's Office (within shouting distance of this marker); a
Additional keywords. Death Penalty
Credits. This page was last revised on January 13, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 4, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 229 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 4, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3, 4. submitted on January 12, 2022, by Adam Margolis of Mission Viejo, California.
